THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING, AND MEDICINE
Transportation Research Board and Division on Earth and Life Studies
Marine Board and Ocean Studies Board
Committee for a Study on New Coast Guard Authorities
*****
Congressional Briefings
Monday May 22, 2023
507 Ford House Office Bldg. – 1:00 p.m.
and
via Zoom – 3:00 p.m.
and
Monday, July 10, 2023
via Teams Meetings – 3:15 p.m.
on
The Coast Guard’s Next Decade:
An Assessment of Emerging Challenges and Statutory Needs
Requested by Congress in P.L. 116-283, the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, this new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine discusses the range of emerging challenges over the coming years, including ones driven by climate change, technology and innovation, and global strategic competition the Coast Guard will be facing.
The report concludes that the Coast Guard likely has sufficient statutory authority to respond to most of these developments, but some developments may call for new or clarified statutory authority as well as coordination with international bodies. Current statutory manning requirements, for example, will limit the Coast Guard’s ability to authorize the regulated use of uncrewed vessels with autonomous systems. New authority may also be needed to establish spaceflight-related safety zones applicable to foreign-flagged vessels within 200 nautical miles of the U.S. coastlines.
Furthermore, the report emphasizes that in addition to statutory authority, the Coast Guard will need key organizational and operational capabilities, including a well-trained workforce, to respond to future challenges.
These briefings were for members of Congress and congressional staff only. The report was publicly released on May 23, 2023 and can be found, in its entirety, on the Web site of the National Academies Press.